Spring

Fizzy Orange Sherbet Cooler

by:
May 31, 2011
5
3 Ratings
Photo by Julia Gartland. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

I’ve made this sherbet recipe, adapted from Cooks Illustrated, more than a dozen times, and each time, I can’t get over how good, bright, and delicious it is. It knocks the socks off store-bought versions. My favorite part of this recipe is the technique of whipping the cream and then gently incorporating it into the orange juice base, which results in a wonderfully creamy yet light sherbet. Enjoy the sherbet on its own, or for a really refreshing drink, combine a few scoops of it with orange juice and seltzer. The sherbet recipe is very adaptable, so feel free to play around with the types of citrus you use. A nice variation is using 1 cup OJ and 1 cup grapefruit juice, especially when grapefruits are at their peak. —EmilyC

Test Kitchen Notes

Light, refreshing and bright, just like citrus should be. The sherbet recipe really is fantastic. We love the whipped cream idea. It makes the sherbet silky smooth and airy. It's very simple and very good, who could ask for more? —Stephanie Bourgeois

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For orange sherbet
  • 1 T grated zest from 1 to 2 oranges or lemons
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 cups orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
  • ¼ cup lemon juice from 1 to 2 lemons
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • To assemble coolers
  • ½ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed, chilled
  • ½ cup seltzer, chilled
  • ½ cup orange sherbet
Directions
  1. For orange sherbet
  2. In a food processor, process zest, sugar, and salt for about 10 to 15 one-second pulses, or until damp. With machine running, add OJ and lemon juice in a steady stream. Continue to process until sugar is fully dissolved, about 1 minute.
  3. Pass mixture through fine-mesh strainer into medium-sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until very cold but not frozen – about 45 minutes. Alternatively, chill in the refrigerator for 2+ hours.
  4. When juice mixture is cold, whip the cream using whisk or stand mixer until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly, add juice mixture to cream in a steady stream, pouring against the edge of the bowl. Immediately transfer juice/cream mixture to the canister of your ice cream maker and begin churning. Churn until set, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  5. When done, transfer sherbet from canister to storage container and press plastic wrap against surface. Freeze until firm, about 3 hours.
  1. To assemble coolers
  2. Pour the orange juice and seltzer into a tall glass, with enough clearance to hold the sherbet. Add the sherbet and let it fizz. Alternatively, you can blend the three ingredients together for a shake of sorts. Enjoy!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
  • cookinginvictoria
    cookinginvictoria
  • creamtea
    creamtea
  • EmilyC
    EmilyC
  • gingerroot
    gingerroot
EmilyC

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

13 Reviews

Linda August 17, 2015
Recipe for sherbet says "serves 1". Surely that's not correct? With 1 cup of sugar and lots more in the O.J., along with a cup of cream, this would be a killer, nutrition wise......
 
hardlikearmour February 2, 2012
This sounds fantastic, Emily! I bet the grapefruit-orange version would be incredibly refreshing in the cooler. Congrats!
 
EmilyC February 3, 2012
Thanks HLA! The grapefruit-orange combination is hard to beat!
 
cookinginvictoria February 2, 2012
Congrats on the CP, Emily! This sounds wonderful -- I love the idea of making my own sherbert, especially with oranges and/or grapefruits.
 
EmilyC February 2, 2012
Thanks so much, cookinginvictoria! This sherbet is one of my favorite desserts to serve to guests -- it's a lot of reward for very little effort!
 
creamtea February 2, 2012
Congrats on your CP. This sounds luscious.
 
EmilyC February 2, 2012
Thanks creamtea!
 
EmilyC June 9, 2011
Thanks! The tangerine variation sounds fantastic. I'm partial to citrus, but I've made the same sherbet recipe with red raspberries (a 12 oz bag of frozen works well) with good results.
 
gingerroot June 9, 2011
This sounds so good! I'm a huge fan of Merrill's Best Lime Ice Cream which is similar to this - just sugar, cream, freshly squeezed citrus - and have made variations with tangerine and orange/lime. You are so right about how bright and refreshing it is compared to store bought. I can almost taste one of these.
 
Midge June 1, 2011
Yum!
 
EmilyC June 1, 2011
Given that it's going to be 90+ degrees in the DC area today, this or a number of the drinks that have been submitted would be fitting!
 
drbabs June 1, 2011
Love this.
 
EmilyC June 1, 2011
Thanks drbabs!